Parkland evacuates wing of high school; postpones anti-bullying program

FILE PHOTO, THE MORNING CALL

One wing of Parkland High School was evacuated after an unknown odor was detected.

One wing of Parkland High School was evacuated after an unknown odor was detected. (FILE PHOTO, THE MORNING CALL)

Of The Morning Call

One wing of the Parkland High School in South Whitehall Township had to be evacuated so emergency officials could investigate the source of an unknown foul odor, according to a statement from the school.

The evacuation was ordered for the C-wing of the high school, where an anti-bullying program, Take a Stand, was scheduled for middle school students.

The school has canceled the program for Tuesday but expects to reschedule it.

All other operations and activities in the school are continuing as normal Tuesday, according to a school spokeswoman.

The issue occurred in the battery back-up system in the district's Critical Systems/Computer Headend room, causing a foul smell in the room, according to a school spokeswoman.

Once the smell was identified, an entire wing of the high school was evacuated to other parts of the building. While the wing was isolated, a hazardous materials team came on site to resolve the issue, the spokeswoman said.